In a Time of War
by TBSigma06
Summary: As the Calormen army moves to invade Archenland, King Caspian is faced with a dilemma. Celeste is a young gifted healer with no choice in the future plans for her life. When she is suddenly taken by the enemy, Caspian risks everything to have her returned to him.
1. Chapter 1

***Caspian is 27 years old in this story. The peace has once again been disturbed by Calormen forces trying to claim Archenland for thmeselves.***

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><p>I was seventeen years old during the first year of the Great War. I was the only daughter of Lord Drinian, King Caspian's closest friend. Even though he was ten years older than I was, his majesty had also become a dear friend to me as well.<p>

He and King Bremar of Archenland had kept the forces of the Calormen army at bay for as long as they could. Stories told of a fierce Calormen warrior by the name of Trinian, who had slain a giant with one strike of his sword. I didn't know if any of this was true, but I did know (as did many others) that Trinian was the key to bringing down the main force of their army. If they could defeat him and his fierce band of warriors, then Narnia would have the advantage.

Caspian spent most of his time in sessions with his council going over strategies and plans. I had been graced by Aslan with the gift of healing, so I when I wasn't in the garden collecting herbs, I walked through the villages taking care of the sick. My morning ritual of picking herbs for my days work required me to walk past Caspian's library. Usually he held his council meetings in an upper part of the castle so that no one would be able to hear. But on this particular morning I could hear raised voices, one being Caspian's and the other was Lord Soryn, his personal advisor.

"…and it's completely out of the question!"

"Caspian, there is no guarantee that you will survive this war. What happens to your lands if you are killed in battle? It would be the right choice for you _and_ for Narnia."

I didn't hear anything for a moment. Then Caspian broke the silence.

"Is there no one else?" He asked, with a melancholy tone in his voice.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. We needed to choose someone knowledgeable of the country in case-"

"Say no more. Give me time to speak with her. It's a heavy burden to bear."

"Certainly." I heard them moving towards the door. There was no way not to be seen by them so I pretended to just be walking past as they were coming out.

"Lady Celeste, how are you this morning?" Soryn asked.

"Fine my Lord, I was just coming in from the garden. Good morning Caspian."

"Good morning, Celeste." Although he gave me a smile, his voice betrayed his true emotion. Something was wrong.

"Would you excuse me your majesty?" Caspian nodded and Lord Soryn walked away leaving us alone. He stood awkwardly in front of me looking down at his hands. He'd never been nervous around me before.

"My Lord? Is something troubling you?" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I need to speak with you on a matter of great importance. Can you meet me in the council room after dinner tonight?"

"O-Of course. Concerning what?"

"There's something that I need to ask of you."

"Your wish is my command, my King." I said in a light-hearted manner. He smiled at me.

"I know. You're a good friend."

There was an awkward silence between us.

"I see you're on your way to the village." Caspian remarked, quickly changing the subject.

"Yes, a healer's work is never done."

"You do so much for our people Celeste. I can't figure how they ever got along without you before."

"I only wish I could do more."

"Maybe someday." It was an odd response, but I didn't inquire any further.

"Well, I should be going. Good luck today your majesty."

"Good luck to you also, my lady." He walked away, and I finished my walk down the hall in the opposite direction. I was very anxious to hear what favor he needed to ask me. But there was work to be done in the village so I cleared my mind of everything but healing and began to make my rounds. The effects of the war had only just begun to be seen. Men were returning home severely damaged, body and mind.

When I came back late that evening, I had almost completely forgotten about my earlier conversation with the King, until my father approached me while I was in the kitchen storing away my unused salves.

"Ah, Celeste, you've returned."

"Hello father." He greeted me with a warm hug.

"King Caspian wants to have a word with you."

"Oh, yes, he told me that this morning."

"He told you?" He asked, with one eyebrow raised.

"Well, he said he had a favor to ask of me, but that was all. Has he said something to you?" I said, putting away the last of my herbs in the pantry.

He sighed.

"It would be best if you heard it from him."

"Father-"

"Hurry up lass, don't keep the King waiting." I nodded, and headed off to the western wing of the castle. It was a long walk and there were three flights of stairs to contend with afterwards. I finally reached the last step, my nerves building as I stood in front of the door. I knocked softly and the door creaked open.

"Come in." Caspian gently closed the door and locked it behind me.

"Sit." He commanded. I'd never been in the council room before so I took in my surroundings slowly. It wasn't a very large room. Just enough for about eight or ten men. There was a table with a giant map spread out across it. Books, scrolls, and other various documents were lying scattered around. I sat down carefully not wanting to disturb anything on the table. He took the seat right next to me, and we faced each other.

"You've been a great friend to me, Celeste, despite our age difference. I've watched you grow from a little girl running around after me trying to cure me of potato disease…" We laughed at that memory.

"...into a beautiful, smart young woman. You're nearly eighteen years old now, and…your father, and Lord Soryn, think that it's time that you were wed." My smile quickly vanished. This was _not _the kind of thing I had expected for him to say.

"_What?_" He took my hands in his and stared at them.

"Which brings me to what I needed to ask of you…" He was nervous. I could feel his palms begin to sweat.

"I have no heirs, no one to carry on my name. Should I perish in this war, Narnia will fall to whatever Lords lay claim to it first. If you would…if you would marry me, and become my Queen, the future of Narnia would be secured." I was speechless. Caspian wanted to make _me_ his Queen?

"But…but why me? Isn't there someone else, more suitable?" He looked me straight in the eyes, making me blush slightly.

"There is no one else I would choose, Celeste. You know the lands, you know the people better than anyone. They all love you already. They would be overjoyed at the idea of you being their Queen."

"I-I don't know what to say…"

"I realize this is a lot to have placed on you. I didn't want to put you through this. But it's the only way. You said you wished you could do more for the people. You'll have that opportunity now."

It sounded as if the choice had already been made for me. My hands had gone limp and cold in his, and I was barely breathing.

"I assume that you've already decided on this. Whether I agree to it or not means nothing." As was customary with royal marriages. Women never had a choice in the matter.

"I don't want it to seem like we're forcing you into something. But I would rather you first hear it from me than to have you to hear it come from the rest of the council who care nothing for your feelings." I sat in silence, trying to take in the news.

"You're right, I suppose." My voice was little above a whisper.

"Come…I'll walk you back to your bed chamber." He helped me to stand and we began the descent down the stairs. It was so quiet I could hear him breathing behind me. It was the longest walk I'd ever been on. Caspian and I had always been able to talk about anything, but now…I couldn't even manage to look at him. As we approached my door, he turned to me.

"Please don't be upset-"

"I know. It's better for Narnia this way. I understand that."

"Good. I care for you deeply, Celeste. I want you to be happy." He let his hand brush against my cheek for a second. It was a new feeling for me, and I didn't know how to respond to it. He realized that I was uncomfortable and pulled away, running his hand through his hair.

"You should get some rest. You've had a long day." He bent down and gave me a small kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight." He whispered into my ear.

"Goodnight, Caspian."


	2. Chapter 2

***This chapter might not be as fun filled as others, but it is crucial to the story that some of it be explained.***

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><p>I couldn't sleep at all that night. I'd just been told that I was going to be the next Queen of Narnia. It was a lot to take in. I didn't know the first thing about how to run a country. But, after all, Caspian was right. I was seventeen years old, a proper age to be married. It wouldn't be such a bad thing to be Caspian's wife. He was a fine man. Any woman would consider herself lucky to be in my position. I tried to think of it on the positive side as I finally drifted off to sleep.<p>

I was awakened the next morning by the sunlight coming in through my window. I didn't feel rested at all, but there was work to be done. After I washed and dressed I was startled by a sudden knock at my door.

"Celeste? Are you decent?"

"Yes father." I unbolted the door and invited him in.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"About what?"

"About becoming Queen, daughter."

"I don't know…I don't know what to think. " I sighed, and sat down on the bed. He sat next to me and placed his hand on top of mine.

"We're only doing what we think is best for Narnia, and for you also. You're a woman now, Celeste. There isn't a better choice for a husband than King Caspian." I nodded.

"I know, father. He's been a good friend to me."

"And you to him. There will be a formal announcement of your engagement tonight with a small celebration afterwards. The King wants you seated beside him. It will be a good time to relax and enjoy yourself, even if only for a night." He stood up and moved towards the door. "Perhaps if the night goes well, we can coax a song or two out of you."

I smiled. "Perhaps." I sat quietly for a few seconds then got up to hug him.

"I love you father."

"I love you too Celeste." He pulled away and looked at me.

"You're going to make a magnificent Queen. One Narnia can be proud of."

"I hope so." He left and I closed the door behind him. Everyone seemed to have so much faith in me. Faith that I didn't have in myself.

The hours quickly passed as I went about my daily routine and before I knew it the servants were preparing for dinner. I hadn't seen Caspian all day, and was almost grateful for it.

As I stood in the mirror contemplating on what to wear, I stared at my figure. I wasn't voluptuous or bosomy like most girls, but I still had some sort of shape to my body that might have been considered attractive. I started to become nervous that Caspian would find me repulsive compared to other women he had seen.

I pushed these thoughts aside as the servants came in to help me with my dress and braid my hair for the evening. It wasn't unusual for them to do this on a night a celebration was planned. The dress I had chosen was simple but elegant, made with a beautiful green satin material. My hair was tightly braided into a sort of crown on the top of my head with one long braid hanging down my back. The three women chatted away as they worked, asking questions about the night's festivities. No one else in the household knew what the occasion was, although they did suspect it had something to do with me.

I made my way to the great hall in the usual manner. Caspian, Lord Soryn, and my father were already seated. I took my new place at the high table between my father and Caspian and we waited for our plates to be served.

"You look beautiful." Caspian said to me with a smile.

"Thank you, your majesty." I held my head down so that he could not see the blush that quickly turned my face five different shades of red. The other guests were chatting away laughing and enjoying themselves. I could feel Caspian's eyes on me. I was afraid of looking up and meeting his piercing gaze. I'd never really noticed how handsome he was until now. His beard had been lightly trimmed, his hair washed and combed. I found myself having inappropriate thoughts of lying with him on our wedding night, which made me redden even more.

After the servants finishing bring out the first course, Caspian decided that it was the proper time to make his announcement. Lively dinner conversation I suppose. He stood up and everyone became quiet.

"My fellow Narnians, friends, and guests; I am sure you are all aware of the impending danger of this war, not only to Archenland, but to Narnia as well. As you also know, I have no heirs to carry on in my stead should something happen to me..."

I could feel my hands begin to sweat as he continued to speak.

"...which is why I feel that it is the right time to announce my engagement," He looked at me and held out a hand so that I could stand up and be seen.

"To Lady Celeste. Daughter of Lord of Drinian. She is the perfect choice for myself as well as Narnia."

"A toast! To the future Queen of Narnia!" Lord Soryn declared, as cups were raised in agreement. Everyone looked genuinely pleased at the decision. Caspian smiled at me and possessively tightened his grip around my hand.

Once the meal was finished the entertainment began. There were jesters, musicians, and grand stories told by some of the guests. I particularly enjoyed the musicians that night. My father noticed my interest and said to me,

"Why don't you play something for us Celeste?"

"Me? No I couldn't. My skills aren't nearly as good as these men." Caspian looked at me, turning away from a conversation he was having with Lord Soryn.

"What's this I hear? You haven't suddenly become shy have you?" He teased.

"No." I said sternly.

"So what's the matter? You play beautifully from what I've heard."

"And she sings too." My father added. Caspian's eyes brightened with anticipation.

"Do you now? I've never heard you sing before."

"That's because I don't."

"Don't be so modest Celeste, you sing like angel. Tavros! Bring the harp to my daughter!"

This was definitely _not_ what I had had in mind for the evening. I'd only ever played in front of Caspian twice before, but never anyone else besides him or my father.

People noticed that I was getting ready to play so everyone quieted down and turned their attention towards me. It was the exact opposite if what I wanted. I tried to pretend like there was no one else in the room but myself so that my hands would stop shaking with nerves. I sang a song about a man who had been in love with a woman for fifteen years, but had never been able to be with her. When I finished everyone clapped. It was a new feeling for me, and I enjoyed it. I looked up to see Caspian slowly stroking his beard, staring at me attentively. I couldn't bear the intensity of his gaze so I looked away.

The music and dancing continued late into the night. I danced with my father and lord Soryn before Caspian took my hand. After my second dance with him I felt exhausted.

"Are you alright?" He asked as the dance ended.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just tired I suppose." I put a hand over my mouth to stifle a yawn.

"You should get some rest then. It's been a long day. I'll walk you to your room."

"Thank you." He clasped his hands behind his back as we began the long walk down the hall.

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" He asked me.

"Oh, yes, of course. It was wonderful. What about you?"

"Yes. It went better than I expected. I believe everyone was delighted to hear that you've been chosen to be their Queen."

"I hope I can live up to their expectations."

"I had the same fear when I became King. But you've no reason to be afraid. Aslan will guide you." I nodded, and neither of said anything for a moment.

"You sing beautifully, Celeste." I blushed again, and he laughed.

"What?" I asked.

"It's just the way you always turn so red when I give you compliment."

"And _you_ always run your hand through your hair when you're nervous." I pointed out to him as we came to the door to my room.

"I do not." We smiled and stood uncomfortably, neither of us knowing what to do. Caspian unknowingly reached a hand up to his hair and I laughed.

"You're doing it again." He stopped and sighed.

"Sorry, I can't help it."

"How long, until…"

"Six days."

"Six days?"

"I-I know it's very soon, but it must be done as quickly as possible." I became slightly offended at the way he spoke of our impending marriage, and he noticed.

"What's wrong?" I shook my head.

"Nothing." He sighed, not believing me.

"You were never good at lying, Celeste. Now what is it?"

"I know this is something that has to be done for Narnia. But do you have to make it seem so…" I searched for the right words to explain the way I felt, but they didn't come to me.

"I don't know…it's just that I always saw myself marrying for love. Not _just_ for the good of the country."

Sensing my apprehension, he took my hands and lightly caressed them.

"I'm sorry. This isn't what I would have chosen for you, and, I know that you're afraid. I am too…but, everything will be alright. This war will end, and we'll be happy together. Besides, you know I'd never do anything to hurt you." I nodded.

"Neither would I." He took one hand and placed it carefully on my cheek, softly stroking it.. His head moved closer to mine, and my breathing quickened.

I closed my eyes as his lips came into contact with my own. It was a bit uncomfortable for me at first. I'd never thought of Caspian in this way before, but it was different now. I completely absorbed myself in the kiss. His mustache tickled as he pressed himself harder against me. I'd always tried to imagine what my first kiss would be like, but my dreams and fantasies never could have prepared me for this. His lips eventually left mine and nestled close to my ear.

"I could fall in love with you Celeste." His deep, husky voice gave me feelings that I didn't know existed. I didn't how to respond to this.

"C-Caspian I-"

"Shh. You don't have to say anything." He stood back and looked at me.

"Goodnight, my Queen." He kissed my hand and walked off back to the great hall.

"Goodnight Caspian." I said quietly. It was in this moment that I felt my feelings towards him begin to change. I slept much better that night, my mind filled with pleasurable thoughts of Caspian.


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days leading up to the ceremony went by very quickly. I hardly had time to make my usual rounds to the village, a ritual that would become less frequent as time passed, Lord Soryn explained. On the day before, I had made plans to go and check on one of my usual patients. I told my father where I was going and that I would be back before dinner. Caspian was busy with council meetings, so I didn't want to disturb him. I took two guards with me as precaution. These were strange times, and one never knew what might happen.

I asked the guards to wait for me outside while I was attending to my duties. The elderly man that lived there had a daughter that looked after him with the help of her husband. As I stepped inside of the house, I immediately sensed that something was wrong.

"Mr. Tumgin?" I called out. Nothing looked amiss, but I couldn't shake the warning I felt in my heart.

"My Lady…I'm so glad you could make it," I turned to look at the shadowy figure behind me that had spoken.

"Araden?" I called out, thinking it was 's son-in-law. But the man that stepped in front of me was _not_ Araden. This man looked as though he belonged to the Calormen army. As soon as I realized what was about to happen to me I tried to run towards the door, but the solider was too fast. He grabbed me by the waist and covered my mouth. Outside of the house, my guards lay dead on the ground, and two more Calormen soldiers stood beside their bodies. The next thing I felt was a sharp blow to the head. I felt my body hit the ground as my vision blurred and everything turned dark…

When I awoke my head was throbbing terribly. I opened my eyes a little and tried to see where I had been taken to. I was lying on the ground inside of a small tent. There were voices coming from behind me.

"Is this the right one?"

"I'm sure of it. The old man was very specific on what she looked liked." I recognized the second voice. It belonged to the man that brought me here.

"Did they give her name?" Said the first man.

"No…but information can easily be extracted from her." My heart raced at these words.

"See if she's awake. Cazriel needs a healer's attention as soon as possible." I quickly closed my eyes again as I heard their footsteps come towards me. As they got closer, the smell of sweat and blood filled my nose. It was the smell of war.

"Is she still alive?" One of them bent down towards me, pressing a dirty finger into my neck.

"She's alive," He shook my shoulder harshly. "Get up girl. We'll not harm you."

My eyes fluttered open. The man kneeling in front of me looked tall and very strong. He had dark, grey eyes and golden hair that was damp with sweat. He bore three large marks across the right side of his chest that looked like it had come from an animal. I'd heard my father and Caspian speak of Trinian, the great Calormen warrior. This man fit their description exactly. I tried to mask my fear as I slowly sat up.

"Leave us."He said to the man who had brought me here. Trinian reached out to touch the wound on the side of my head that had been bleeding. I flinched and moved away from him. He smirked and stood up, walked over to a small bowl filled with water, and calmly began washing himself.

"What's your name?" I didn't answer him.

"Did the blow to your head destroy your sense of hearing?"

Still I said nothing. If he found out who I was my situation would become a lot worse. He took a rag, soaked it in the water, and came back over to me. Looking me directly in the eyes he asked me again,

"What's your name?" He sighed, frustrated that I still didn't answer.

He took a lock of my hair in his hand and sniffed.

"You're no ordinary servant girl, I know that much." He tried to put the wet cloth on my wound and I swatted his hand away from me. After the third attempt he threw it at me, and I picked it up to clean my own injury.

"One of my men has been hurt. He'll not live through the week if he doesn't get help. Word reached my ear of a healer with seemingly miraculous powers. Your job here is to see that he doesn't die. He's one of my strongest men."

Trinian got up and started to take off his armor.

"Why should I-"My voice caught in my throat as he stood naked and unashamed in front of me. I looked away, feeling the blush rise in my face.

"Why should I help you? You're Calormen warriors. You've killed hundreds of my people." He covered himself, and stared at me.

"_Your_ people have killed hundreds of mine as well."

"It's _your_ King that's trying to invade Archenland! The Tisroc of Calormen started this war!" I said with anger. He was quiet for a moment.

"And to which King does your allegiance lie, hmm? To Narnia, or to Archenland?" I thought for a moment, then answered.

"My allegiance…lies with the sick, and the injured, and those in need of healing." He took two long strides back over to me, snatching the cloth from my hand, and grabbing my face. I could feel the bruises forming.

"I'll ask you once more…what is your name, woman?"

"Perhaps if you tell me yours, I should be more generous with mine." I said boldly. He smirked at me.

"I thought you would have figured that out by now…you already know who I am, don't you?"

"I believe so…You're Trinian, the greatest fighter in the Calormen army."

His silence confirmed my suspicion. His hand moved from my face down to my neck, still keeping his firm grip.

"My name is Elaine." I said. He stared at me with a questioning look on his face.

"I think you're lying, but I'll accept it…for now. Get up; there are more important things to attend to." I slowly rose to my feet, and followed him out of the tent. He led me to a hidden part of the forest, and I could hear moaning as we got nearer. There was a man lying on the ground. They'd covered him and done the best that they knew to do for him. Blood was everywhere. The source of his agony was coming from his arm. It looked as if something had tried to bite it off but didn't succeed. The other men cleared the way for me so that I could see him better.

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Cazriel. He has a wife and young son back home." One of them said.

"So do many others that go into Aslan's country." I said quietly. As I examined him, I had to hold my breath to keep the foul stench out of my nostrils.

"This arm needs to come off. It's too badly infected."

"Come off? He's a warrior, how can he defend himself with one arm?" Trinian asked.

"He doesn't have to. You can send him home to his family. I'm sure he would be glad of it…if he makes it through."

"Will he survive the operation? Or will it cause him more suffering?"

"There is a chance he might-"

"Will he, or will he not survive this?" Trinian became angry. Cazriel's head rolled back and forth, as he went in and out of consciousness.

"_If_ he can make through an entire night afterwards…then perhaps he will have a chance." Trinian kept quiet.

"If this is going to work I'll need supplies, and your strongest men. Have you seen any Loriel plants here?" The flower of the Loriel plant was normally used as a sleeping draft, but it was very powerful. Used in the wrong way the patient might not wake.

"I think I saw some a few feet from 'ere my lady." One of the soldiers said.

"Gather as much as you can. There are a few other things I need also. It's going to be dark soon, you'll need to hurry."

The men did as much as they could to accommodate my needs for the surgery. I talked to Cazriel during the times he was conscious to try and explain to him what was happening. He communicated to me that he understood what must done to try and save his life. I administered a small dosage of the sleeping draft to him, and waited for it to take effect. The procedure was made clear to all the men involved and as soon as Cazriel was asleep we got to work.

I was barely able to stomach the sound and sight of flesh and bone being cut through. My clothes were stained red with his blood. It took longer than expected to get the arm completely off, and he was beginning to wake up. I instructed Trinian on how to seal the wound with the hot iron. The smell of burning flesh was nauseating. Cazriel groaned.

"Hurry, before he's fully awake." It was almost completely dark in the part of forest we were in, save for the small fire we had burning to heat the iron. Finally, the procedure was completed. Cazriel's moans were louder now, his breathing labored.

"Can you do nothing for the pain?" Trinian asked.

"The Orona plant I asked for can be made into a tea that will help some. But I can only give it three times a day. Anymore than that might do more harm than good."

After I had given the tea to Cazriel, and he had calmed down a bit, I sat in front of the fire and rested. Trinian brought me some water and sat next to me.

"A-Are the stories about you true?" He looked at me. "That you killed a giant with one strike of your sword?" He smirked, and looked up at the sky.

"Yes…but you've no need to fear me, Elaine. I've never raised a hand to a woman. Adrian is the one you should be watching out for."

"Which one is he?" Trinian pointed to the man with curly, raven colored hair and an unkempt beard that was tending to the mess left from the operation. The same man who had kidnapped me.

"He can get very hostile at times. Good man, bad temper. If he harms you in anyway, he'll have to answer to me." He said, looking straight at me with fire in his eyes.

"You're exhausted…I'll give you something clean to put on."

"Thank you." I said, barely above a whisper. As I washed the blood from my hands, I cried silently. What if Caspian and my father didn't make it to me before something happened? They wouldn't even know where to start looking. I called on Aslan that night to guide them safely to me, and nearly passed out from weariness.

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><p><strong>*The Tisroc is the ruler of Calormen just in case you didn't know. Now it's starting to get good! Chapter four will be from Caspian's POV.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it took so long with chapter 4. Working on other projects as well. Hope you enjoy!**

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><p><em><strong>CASPIAN<strong>_

There was only one day left before I made Celeste my Queen. I hadn't had much of a chance to see her since the announcement of our marriage. So I'd made plans to spend some time with her that day after my meeting with King Bremar and the rest of the council. But I was interrupted late that morning by a loud knock on my library door.

"Your Majesty!" The knocking continued until I finally reached the door to open it.

"What in the name of Aslan-"

"It's Lady Celeste Sire…they've taken her."

"_What?_" I barked at the servant who brought me this terrible news.

"They who? Where's Drinian?" The poor boy stood shaking in front of me, not wanting to say anything else to upset me.

"T-The Lords are waiting for you your majesty. " I nearly knocked him over and ran all the way to the council room. As I burst through the door all eyes turned to look at me.

"What happened? Where is Celeste?"

"Sit down, Caspian." King Bremar said to me. I didn't like the melancholy tone of his voice. I sat at the table and looked at the grim faces of my council.

"Will someone _please_ explain to me what's going on?" I asked, nervously tapping my hand against the table. No one wanted to speak up so Lord Soryn took charge.

"Celeste went into town today to visit a patient; an older man by the name of Tumgin."

"Yes, I've heard her speak of him before." I said.

"Apparently, his son, Araden, told the Calormen soldiers that she would be there, and…" Everyone looked at him. "…they took her."

My eyes filled with rage, and I turned to the guards that stood in front of the door.

"Find him. I want this man in a cell tonight. Do you understand?"

"Yes your majesty." The two of them hurriedly made their way out of the door.

"Is there any clue as to where she might have been taken?" Said Drinian, who had been quiet up until this point.

"No. But our sources say that it was Trinian and his men that did this." Everyone gasped, and began to whisper to each other.

"What would that barbarian want with Celeste?"

"Perhaps he's taking her to the Tisroc for some sort of ransom."

"Or selling her to the slave traders." I sat and listened to their wild theories until I could stand it no longer.

"Enough!" They all quieted down and turned to me, as I stood up to speak.

"Are you not aware of whom you're speaking? The future Queen of Narnia is gone! Taken by the most feared group of warriors that ever lived, and all you can do is sit here and argue about _what_ they're going to do with her? We need to be out there right now looking for her!"

"But where do we even start your Majesty? There's no telling where they could have gone."

"We'll scour the entire perimeter. They can't have gotten too far in one morning. Most of our armies are still here," I pointed to a location the map in front of us.

"…at the River Winding Arrow, keeping the Calormen forces at bay. I can spare twenty men at the most to form a search party. Is there any way you can send some of your troops, Bremar?"

My ally glanced at me, and sighed.

"I understand that this is a very serious matter, Caspian..." I didn't like his tone of voice, as if this were some troublesome problem we couldn't be bothered with.

"…but I cannot guarantee the safety of my people if I spared even one man to go on some wild chase across the woods."

"You speak as though it were already a lost cause. Celeste is being held captive by Calormen soldiers and you want me to just give up? Count it as loss and move on to the next one?" I said angrily.

"Forgive me your majesty, but isn't securing your throne the real issue? Why should it matter which girl gets the job?"

"May I remind you that this isn't just some girl? She is not only my friend, but Lord Drinian's only daughter." Everyone cast a compassionate glance towards my future father in law.

"I'm sending troops with or without your consent, Bremar." He sighed and shifted in his seat.

"Very well…is the rest of the council in agreement with sending a search party for the lady?" The King said.

I looked around the room as everyone voiced their approval.

"Good. Lord Soryn, I'll need you to speak with General Talgos to organize the men. Lord Drinian and I will lead the search."

"Yes, sire." Lord Drinian stayed behind as everyone else walked silently out of the room. As the door closed, he stared silently with a glassy look in his eyes. Tears were threatening to spill. I had never seen this man show any form of emotion until now. I slowly walked over to him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We will find her." I said with a determined tone in my voice. It was awhile before he said anything.

"I know we will…but I want to find her alive Caspian, not-" He stopped his sentence, not being able to say what we were both thinking.

"Have faith that Aslan will lead us to her swiftly, my friend." I left the room, giving him time to himself. At this particular time, my mind hadn't quite grasped the severity of the situation. It was as if I were walking through a dream, and I would wake up tomorrow hearing the sweet sound of Celeste's laughter in my ears.

It was almost dusk when all the preparations were finished. Lord Drinian rode beside me to my left, General Talgos to my right, and the soldiers behind us. Our faces were frozen in an expression of anger and determination. Before this war was over, I would scatter the bloody remains of Trinian's body across the Calormen desert.


	5. Chapter 5

**~It's finally here! Hope I made it worth the wait for everybody. Enjoy!~**

_**Celeste**_

I awoke before dawn from a terrifying nightmare. The smell of burned wood and the feel of the grass beneath me caused the previous days' events to flash quickly through my mind. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could just make out the shadowy figure of Trinian sitting nearby with his back against a tree. He was carving something with a small knife. I slowly rose to my feet and walked over to him.

"What are you making?" I asked. He didn't bother to look up at me.

"Just a toy. One of my men has a son at home...it's nothing really." I was a bit surprised. This barbarian of a man, who had killed hundreds if not thousands of people, was carving a trinket for a child that wasn't even his own. Perhaps he wasn't entirely evil after all. He quickly threw down the knife and small block of wood beside him, as if this display had exposed a weaker side of him.

"You must be hungry." He said, getting up from his position on the ground to stand in front of me. I hadn't thought of it until now, but I was incredibly famished.

"I'll bring you something to eat. Wait here." He picked up his carving knife and unfinished work before walking over to the fire that had long since been put out. The men were still sleeping deeply and hadn't been bothered by the little noise we were making. There was some leftover meat and dry bread that I hadn't noticed before. He portioned equally between the two of us.

"I don't remember this being here last night." I said, with my mouth full of bread.

"You were sleeping." He said flatly, tearing his piece of meat in half and quickly stuffing it into his mouth. I began to eat as if I'd never had the luxury of food before. I caught him staring at me, slightly amused by my actions.

"What?" I asked.

"Have you never tasted food before?" I rolled my eyes at his mild attempt at humor.

"I hadn't the chance to eat before your men kidnapped me yesterday." My comment kept him silent for a moment.

"Do you have family at home?" I asked as we finished our meal.

"I have no home. My men are my family. I need nothing else." He said, mindlessly throwing a few bread crumbs into the fire.

"No brothers? Sisters?"

"No."

"What about your father, or your mother? Surely there must be someone-"

"Hold your tongue woman! You ask too many questions." He said. My inquisitive nature had gotten the better of me again. Trinian's stare was powerful enough to kill a man where he stood. I tried not to show how much he had actually frightened me.

"I'm sorry, Trinian. But I believe that there is goodness in every person."

"I've killed hundreds of men. Fathers, brothers, sons…how can you possibly say that there is _good_ in me?" There was bitterness in his tone.

"You were carving that toy for one of your men to take home. For a child that has no relation to you in any way. I don't believe that a man as evil as people say would have done something like that." He kept his eyes fixed on me, not saying a word. They were the color of a summer storm, dark but beautiful. He did not know how to respond to my kindness.

"Perhaps." He continued to stare at me as if he were searching for another answer from me. I was very uncomfortable under his long, lingering gaze so I turned away.

"Cazriel should be in need of some more tea soon." It was nearly dawn by this time, and the other men were starting to wake up. I could feel Trinian watching me as I began to prepare the first dosage for the day. I asked him to find one of his men to assist me with Cazriel for the day. I was thankful that he had survived through the night. Most men with these types of injuries didn't last long after the procedure was over.

They'd made an attempt at making him more comfortable, but nothing would be good enough until I had given him the tea to ease his pain. I knelt down beside him and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Cazriel?" He made a small sound as if heard me, but did not open his eyes. The young man Trinian sent over told me his name was Brecán. He didn't look like much of a warrior from first glance. His tanned skin bore marks from previous battles. I couldn't imagine what could have happened in his past to lead him to this kind of life, for he didn't look any older than I was.

"Can you help me sit him up, Brecán?" He nodded and positioned Cazriel as best as he could without causing him anymore discomfort.

"Cazriel…" I called to him again. This time, he made an attempt to open his eyes. They were a dark shade of brown. _'Just like Caspian's.' _I thought to myself. I pushed my selfish thoughts aside and continued my work. Trying to get him to drink the tea was no easy task. It had been a bit easier before when he wasn't fully aware of what was going on. He could barely keep anything down as it was, and the draft was very bitter. I could see the disgust in his face as some of it finally touched his lips.

"Please, you must drink all of it. It will help the pain." He opened his eyes as wide as he could, looking directly at me. My heart sank with sadness. It wasn't right for a man to suffer like this. I thought that maybe in his mind, dying would be better than living this way. He slowly sipped the liquid, his face contorting in an expression of anguish. When I was satisfied that he had had enough, I put the cup down and wiped the spilled fluid from his mouth.

"Good. You did well." I felt his forehead to see if the fever had gone done any since last night, but there was no change. I feared that if he didn't show some signs of improvement by tomorrow night, we would be burying him the next morning.

"What is it, my lady?" Brecán asked.

"Nothing." I did not want to dampen their hopes for his recovery by telling his true status.

After all the men had eaten their morning meal, I went back to Trinian's tent. I peered through the small opening in the cloth to see him sitting with his bare back towards me. He suddenly stood up, breaking my intense gaze and causing me to jump a little.

"What are you doing?" He asked in a demanding tone that sent chills up my spine.

"N-Nothing I just…" His legs carried him slowly over to me until he stood in front of me.

"I wanted to go to the river to bathe, but I don't have anything else to wear…" His eyes burned into mine as if he were trying desperately to look into my soul. After what seemed like an eternity he walked over to a small pile of clothes that were lying in the corner and handed me a large shirt.

"It's the last spare shirt I have. Keep it."

"Thank you." As I turned to leave he spoke again.

"I'll send a guard with you." I turned to him, but he wasn't even looking in my direction.

"That won't be necessary."

"You need someone to keep an eye out for you."

"I'm not going to run off if that's what you're thinking. I'm here to do a job and I'm going finish it."

"Either you go with a guard or you don't go at all. Your choice."

"If you're so worried about it then why don't you just guard me yourself?" He finally turned his head as I issued my challenge.

"Come with me." It was a command that was not to be disobeyed. He brushed past me out of the tent and began a brisk pace away from the camp. I nearly had to run to keep up with him. We hadn't gone far before he stopped in front of a patch of shrubs and other plants.

"What is this place?" He was silent as a stone, but his eye told me to go forward. As I peered through the bushes, I saw a small pond just big enough for one, maybe two people to bathe in. When I turned back, I couldn't see him anywhere.

"Trinian?" There was no answer, so I turned back to the little pond and moved closer to it. I reached a hand out to feel the temperature of the water. It was a bit warm from the sun, but just right for bathing. I was still unsure about being completely nude with so many men within walking distance. And I still had no clue where Trinian had gone. He could've been watching me at that very moment for all I knew. So I took extra care not to let anything show that didn't have to.

The lack of perfumes to give the water a sweet smell was something I wasn't used to. But I couldn't complain. It was heaven having the water touch my skin and wash away all the filth from the previous day's work. I could never have imagined that at seventeen years old I would be held captive in the camp of a feared Narnian enemy. It was almost unreal to think that on this day, I was supposed to becoming the new Queen of Narnia; the wife of King Caspian the tenth. I could not even speak the words aloud to myself.

When I was satisfied my body had been cleaned thoroughly enough, I stepped out of the pond and began to wring the water out of my clothing. The dry shirt he had given me was welcome and I hid myself as well as I could so that I could change. When I was finished, I began to walk towards the path leading back to the camp, when suddenly a figure stepped out from behind the bushes. I let out a small scream before I realized that it was only Trinian.

"Have you been here this entire time?!"

"Yes…you told me to keep guard. Remember?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"No, I didn't steal a glance while you were bathing, Elaine. I may be a warrior, but my mother taught me to respect women…not treat them like rags to be tossed out with the laundry." I stood awkwardly in front of him not knowing what to say.

"We need to move our location...tomorrow night." He said as we began to walk back to the encampment.

"Tomorrow night? But Cazriel cannot be moved. Not yet." Trinian took a deep breath, looking up at the clear blue sky.

"If he cannot be moved be by tomorrow night…then he will be left here." I stopped walking and stared at him.

"You can't be serious, these things take time! You won't be able to see results in just a few days!"

"We've already been in this location for too long, I can risk it no longer. I've had men scouting the area for three days now."

"But he'll die!" He ignored me, continuing to walk along the path. His brisk pace made it difficult to keep up with him.

"Trinian please-"

"I've made my decision!" He said forcefully. I saw a flash of emotion in his eyes that betrayed his true feelings. This was not a choice he _wanted_ to make, but one that had to be made. I kept quiet until we were almost near the camp.

"What need will you have for me after…" I couldn't speak the words.

"You mean will I discard you like an apple core? Leave you here for the wolves?" He said with his back still turned to me.

"Yes." He stopped walking and turned to me.

"No, Elaine…I would not leave you here to fend for yourself." There was no more to be said about the matter for now. He'd given his orders and that was it. If I could not work some sort of miracle before tomorrow tonight, they would leave Cazriel here to die.

One of the men suddenly came up to Trinian and pulled him aside. I couldn't tell what they were talking about, but it didn't look like it was good news. Trinian fixed his eyes upon me during their conversation. I could not discern the emotion on his face, and I found myself almost unable to turn away from his penetrating gaze. I turned away and went over to Cazriel to tend to his bandages. They'd brought me here in hopes of performing some sort of miracle. Three days was not enough time for any wound to heal, especially one as severe as his. As I looked at his face, I wondered if he already knew the end might have been near, and if not, who would be the one to tell him?


	6. Chapter 6

_**CASPIAN**_

We covered a good distance the first day, stopping only to let the horses rest. I assumed that Trinian and his men would have headed east towards the River Rush, hoping they would not be able to be followed across the river. So that's where we began.

We crossed the river and camped just outside the edge of the forest the first night. No fires were lit on my order. I did not want to risk our location being discovered. As the chill of the evening began to set in and the men all rested, I sat beside my horse, Destrier, and looked up at the stars asking Aslan to help us bring Celeste home. I didn't dare think of what could have been happening to her. My anger needed to be saved for the right moment.

The stress of the day allowed to my body to fall into dreamless sleep. I was awakened in the early hours of the morning by Destrier's movements. The sun was just beginning to rise and most of the other men had ready awakened. Drinian came over to me with some bread and a small wedge of cheese to eat.

"Thank you, Drinian." He sat beside me as I ate and stared at the ground.

"We should go more towards the center of the forest…I feel that she may be there." I said to him. He nodded.

"We've received word from a messenger in the Archenland army," I looked over at Drinian.

"Our allies have been successful in holding back the Calormen army at the river Winding Arrow. But there are still more of them to be dealt with. They believe that Trinian's soldiers might be greater than we first believed."

"How much greater?"

"His personal soldiers are about twenty in number… but he has about two hundred men in his command placed in an undisclosed location. They're working to find them now."

"How did you get all of this information?" He looked at me and gave a small smile.

"Aslan has his ways." I nodded, and finished off the last piece of the dry bread trying to imagine that it had been a large, tender leg of meat.

I began to make my rounds and give the orders for the day, making sure everything and everyone was in place. My armor had been polished and was ready for me to put on. As I dressed and pulled my hair away from my face, I began to feel the anger rise in me again.

"My Lord, the men are ready to move when you are." I heard from behind me.

"Thank you, Talgos." I climbed up on Destrier and stared into the woods. No command was needed for me to move my troops. I set a steady pace into the darkness of the forest. There was an unnatural quietness here; not even the soft chirping of a bird could be heard. We continued on for awhile with no sign of anything. Then I suddenly saw a glimpse of something move to my right.

"Did you see that, Drinian?"

"See what, you majesty?" I looked again and there was nothing there. But I would swear on my life that something was there.

"I thought I saw something moving…Drinian, lead the men on. Talgos and I will go after whatever this _thing_ might be."

"Yes your majesty." Talgos followed behind me and I led him to where I believed I'd seen the figure move.

"I don't see anything my Lord. Are you sure-" I put a finger over my lips telling him not to say a word. I wanted to be able to hear movement on the ground. I climbed off of my horse and stood as still as a stone for what seemed like eternity, I heard what sounded like a bow being drawn to my left side. I drew my sword out of the sheath slowly, making as little noise as possible. Suddenly an arrow flew by me, grazing my armor. Then I saw the shooter quickly try to run away.

"After him!" Talgos and I sprinted after him. I'd never run so fast in my entire life, and was easy catching up with him. He put up a good fight as I tackled him to the ground, but wasn't a match for me. I thrust the blade of my sword into his shoulder, pinning him to the ground. The scream that escaped his lips was horrifying.

"Who are you?!" I screamed. He coughed as blood ran out from the wound. I backhanded him across his face.

"Answer me! Are you with Trinian's men?!"

"Trinian's army alone would destroy you…_King _Caspian."

"Tell me where he is!" His lips were shut tight. I nodded to Talgos and he pushed down on my sword, driving it deeper into the man's shoulder.

"Tell me!"

The only sound that came from his lips was a sinister laugh that quickly turned into a fit of coughs. Blood ran from his mouth and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. I grabbed his armor and violently shook him, but he was already dead. I stood up and cursed loudly nearly spitting on the man's bloody, lifeless body. Talgos pulled my sword out of the Carlomen's shoulder and cleaned it before handing it back to me.

"They must be here somewhere. He wouldn't have been alone out here." We left his body for the wolves and headed back to catch up with Drinian. He and the rest of the men had stopped a few yards ahead of where we found the Carlomen soldier. They were just standing there as if they were waiting for something.

"What is it, Drinian?" No one said anything, and Drinian could barely look at me.

"One of the men found this, your majesty." He handed me a small vial that contained a small amount of what seemed to be herbs of some kind. The same vial I'd seen Celeste carry on many of her trips to the village. I squeezed it tightly, not knowing what emotion to feel. Everyone was silent as they waited for my command.

"Your majesty…" I didn't know whose voice was speaking to me. All I could think of was finding Celeste in time.

"We'll head further south. If Trinian is smart, he'll be trying to move his encampment as quickly as possible. We need to get to wherever he is before that happens…we will not camp tonight." My orders we clear. We were too close to finding her to waste any time. I put the vial in my pouch that was tied to my saddle and climbed up on Destrier's back


End file.
